scholarly journals The Role of Magnetic Helicity in Solar Flares

2005 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 128-131
Author(s):  
Mark G. Linton
Keyword(s):  
Solar Flares ◽  
Magnetic Energy ◽  
Active Regions ◽  
Excess Energy ◽  
Flux Tubes ◽  
Surplus Energy ◽  
Coronal Magnetic Fields ◽  
Kink Instability ◽  
Magnetic Energy Release

AbstractHelicity in coronal magnetic fields, often occurring in the form of twisted or sheared fields, can provide surplus energy which is available for release in solar flares. In this paper, several models of how this extra, non-potential, energy can be released will be reviewed. For example, twisted flux tubes can release excess energy via the kink instability. Or energy can be released via a transfer of helicity between different magnetic tubes. For untwisted field, the mutual helicity between flux tubes provides a measure of the shear in the fields, and therefore how much energy is available for release in a flare. For twisted flux tubes, the twist helicity of each tube in combination with the mutual helicity between the tubes dictate what type of reconnection the tubes can undergo and how much energy is available for release. Measuring the helicity of coronal active regions, and studying how this helicity affects magnetic energy release is therefore vital for our understanding of and our ability to predict solar flares.

Trigger mechanisms of the major solar flares

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (S354) ◽  
pp. 392-406
Author(s):  
Shuhong Yang
Keyword(s):  
Active Region ◽  
Solar Flares ◽  
Magnetic Energy ◽  
Active Regions ◽  
Polarity Inversion ◽  
Strong Gradient ◽  
Cycle 24 ◽  
Kink Instability ◽  
Shearing Motion ◽  
Trigger Mechanisms

AbstractSolar flares, suddenly releasing a large amount of magnetic energy, are one of the most energetic phenomena on the Sun. For the major flares (M- and X-class flares), there exist strong-gradient polarity-inversion lines in the pre-flare photospheric magnetograms. Some parameters (e.g., electric current, shear angle, free energy) are used to measure the magnetic non-potentiality of active regions, and the kernels of major flares coincide with the highly non-potential regions. Magnetic flux emergence and cancellation, shearing motion, and sunspot rotation observed in the photosphere are deemed to play an important role in the energy buildup and flare trigger. Solar active region 12673 produced many major flares, among which the X9.3 flare is the largest one in solar cycle 24. According to the newly proposed block-induced eruption model, the block-induced complex structures built the flare-productive active region and the X9.3 flare was triggered by an erupting filament due to the kink instability.

Solar flare forecasting model using 3D magnetic field data

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Huang
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Deep Learning ◽  
Solar Flare ◽  
Solar Flares ◽  
Field Data ◽  
Active Regions ◽  
Forecasting Model ◽  
Magnetic Field Data ◽  
The Magnetic Field

<p>Solar flares originate from the release of the energy stored in the magnetic field of solar active regions. Generally, the photospheric magnetograms of active regions are used as the input of the solar flare forecasting model. However, solar flares are considered to occur in the low corona. Therefore, the role of 3D magnetic field of active regions in the solar flare forecast should be explored. We extrapolate the 3D magnetic field using the potential model for all the active regions during 2010 to 2017, and then the deep learning method is applied to extract the precursors of solar flares in the 3D magnetic field data. We find that the 3D magnetic field of active regions is helpful to build a deep learning based forecasting model.</p>

scholarly journals Difference of source regions between fast and slow coronal mass ejections

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Filippov
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Coronal Mass Ejections ◽  
Solar Flares ◽  
Magnetic Energy ◽  
Active Regions ◽  
Coronal Magnetic Field ◽  
Source Regions ◽  
Free Magnetic Energy ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Sunspot Groups

Abstract Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are tightly related to filament eruptions and usually are their continuation in the upper solar corona. It is common practice to divide all observed CMEs into fast and slow ones. Fast CMEs usually follow eruptive events in active regions near big sunspot groups and associated with major solar flares. Slow CMEs are more related to eruptions of quiescent prominences located far from active regions. We analyse 10 eruptive events with particular attention to the events on 2013 September 29 and on 2016 January 26, one of which was associated with a fast CME, while another was followed by a slow CME. We estimated the initial store of free magnetic energy in the two regions and show the resemblance of pre-eruptive situations. The difference of late behaviour of the two eruptive prominences is a consequence of the different structure of magnetic field above the filaments. We estimated this structure on the basis of potential magnetic field calculations. Analysis of other eight events confirmed that all fast CMEs originate in regions with rapidly changing with height value and direction of coronal magnetic field.

First results of the STIX hard X-ray telescope onboard Solar Orbiter

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Francesco Battaglia ◽  
Jonas Saqri ◽  
Ewan Dickson ◽  
Hualin Xiao ◽  
Astrid Veronig ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Flares ◽  
Magnetic Energy ◽  
Imaging Spectroscopy ◽  
X Rays ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Imaging ◽  
First Results ◽  
Early Peak ◽  
Accelerated Particles ◽  
Magnetic Energy Release

<p>With the launch and commissioning of Solar Orbiter, the Spectrometer/Telescope for Imaging X-rays (STIX) is the latest hard X-ray telescope to study solar flares over a large range of flare sizes. STIX uses hard X-ray imaging spectroscopy in the range from 4 to 150 keV to diagnose the hottest temperature of solar flare plasma and the related nonthermal accelerated electrons. The unique orbit away from the Earth-Sun line in combination with the opportunity of joint observations with other Solar Orbiter instruments, STIX will provide new inputs into understanding the magnetic energy release and particle acceleration in solar flares. Commissioning observations showed that STIX is working as designed and therefore we report on the first solar microflare observations recorded on June 2020, when the spacecraft was at 0.52 AU from the Sun. STIX’s measurements are compared with Earth-orbiting observatories, such as GOES and SDO/AIA, for which we investigate and interpret the different temporal evolution. The detected early peak of the STIX profiles relative to GOES is due either by nonthermal X-ray emission of accelerated particles interacting with the dense chromosphere or the higher sensitivity of STIX toward hotter plasma.</p>

scholarly journals Twist and writhe of δ-island active regions

2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (S273) ◽  
pp. 153-156
Author(s):  
M. C. López Fuentes ◽  
C. H. Mandrini ◽  
P. Démoulin
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Flux Tube ◽  
Active Regions ◽  
Magnetic Helicity ◽  
Coronal Structure ◽  
Flux Tubes ◽  
Single Mechanism ◽  
Magnetic Flux Tubes ◽  
Kink Instability ◽  
The Magnetic Field

AbstractWe study the magnetic helicity properties of a set of peculiar active regions (ARs) including δ-islands and other high-tilt bipolar configurations. These ARs are usually identified as the most active in terms of flare and CME production. Due to their observed structure, they have been associated with the emergence of magnetic flux tubes that develop a kink instability. Our main goal is to determine the chirality of the twist and writhe components of the AR magnetic helicity in order to set constrains on the possible mechanisms producing the flux tube deformations. We determine the magnetic twist comparing observations of the AR coronal structure with force-free models of the magnetic field. We infer the flux-tube writhe from the rotation of the main magnetic bipole during the observed evolution. From the relation between the obtained twist and writhe signs we conclude that the development of the kink instability cannot be the single mechanism producing deformed flux-tubes.

Energetic electrons in solar flares: observational support for acceleration processes linked to magnetic reconnection

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Vilmer ◽  
Sophie Musset
Keyword(s):  
Solar Flares ◽  
Magnetic Energy ◽  
Imaging Spectroscopy ◽  
Active Regions ◽  
Coronal Magnetic Field ◽  
High Energy ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Energetic Electrons ◽  
Radio Imaging ◽  
Gyrosynchrotron Emission

<p>Efficient electron (and ion) acceleration is produced in association with solar flares. Energetic particles play a major role in the active Sun since they contain a large amount of the magnetic energy released during flares. Energetic electrons (and ions) interact with the solar atmosphere and produce high-energy X-rays and γ-rays. Energetic electrons also produce radio emission in a large frequency band through gyrosynchrotron emission processes in the magnetic fields of flaring active regions and conversion of plasma waves when e.g. propagating to the high corona towards the interplanetary medium. It is currently admitted that solar flares are powered by magnetic energy previously stored in the coronal magnetic field and that magnetic energy release is likely to occur on coronal currents sheets along regions of strong gradient of magnetic connectivity. However, understanding the connection between particle acceleration processes and the topology of the complex magnetic structures present in the corona is still a challenging issue. In this talk, we shall review some recent results derived from X-ray and radio imaging spectroscopy of solar flares bringing some new observational constraints on the localization of HXR/radio sources with respect to current sheets, termination shocks in the corona derived from EUV observations.</p>

scholarly journals Plasma Processes in Solar Flares

1990 ◽  
Vol 142 ◽  
pp. 355-364
Author(s):  
V.M. Tomozov
Keyword(s):  
Solar Flares ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Stark Effect ◽  
Active Regions ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Radio Bursts ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Plasma Effects ◽  
Collective Plasma

A rationale is presented for a conception that appearance of flares in active regions is due to the interaction of large-scale convective elements. Such an interaction gives rise to shear motions in the vicinity of the inverse polarity line of the photospheric magnetic field which generate vortical motions leading to non-equilibrium state of the magnetic configuration. Modern concepts of manifestations of turbulent plasma processes are described in terms of theoretical models for solar flares. Plasma effects arising at propagation of electron beams and thermal fluxes in the solar atmosphere are considered. Their role in the interpretation of hard X-ray and type III radio bursts is pointed out. The role of the turbulent Stark effect for diagnostics of collective plasma processes in solar flares is emphasized.

scholarly journals Coronal heating and flaring in QSLs

2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (S273) ◽  
pp. 233-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillaume Aulanier
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Magnetic Energy ◽  
Free Field ◽  
Active Regions ◽  
Coronal Heating ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Flux Tubes ◽  
Solar Instruments ◽  
Field Lines ◽  
New Generation

AbstractQuasi-Separatrix Layers (QSLs) are 3D geometrical objects that define narrow volumes across which magnetic field lines have strong, but finite, gradients of connectivity from one footpoint to another. QSLs extend the concept of separatrices, that are topological objects across which the connectivity is discontinuous. Based on analytical arguments, and on magnetic field extrapolations of the Sun's coronal force-free field above observed active regions, it has long since been conjectured that QSLs are favorable locations for current sheet (CS) formation, as well as for magnetic reconnection, and therefore are good predictors for the locations of magnetic energy release in flares and coronal heating. It is only up to recently that numerical MHD simulations and solar observations, as well as a laboratory experiment, have started to address the validity of these conjectures. When put all together, they suggest that QSL reconnection is involved in the displacement of EUV and SXR brightenings along chromospheric flare ribbons, that it is related with the heating of EUV coronal loops, and that the dissipation of QSL related CS may be the cause of coronal heating in initially homogeneous, braided and turbulent flux tubes, as well as in coronal arcades rooted in the slowly moving and numerous small-scale photospheric flux concentrations, both in active region faculae and in the quiet Sun. The apparent ubiquity of QSL-related CS in the Sun's corona, which will need to be quantified with new generation solar instruments, also suggests that QSLs play an important role in stellar's atmospheres, when their surface radial magnetic fields display complex patterns.

scholarly journals Storing free magnetic energy in the solar corona

2016 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Vekstein
Keyword(s):  
Solar Corona ◽  
Solar Flares ◽  
Magnetic Energy ◽  
Solar Physics ◽  
Interested Reader ◽  
Convective Flows ◽  
Free Magnetic Energy ◽  
Wide Readership ◽  
Magnetic Arcade

This article presents a mini-tutorial aimed at a wide readership not familiar with the field of solar plasma physics. The exposition is centred around the issue of excess/free magnetic energy stored in the solar corona. A general consideration is followed with a particular example of coronal magnetic arcade, where free magnetic energy builds up by photospheric convective flows. In the context of solar physics the major task is to explain how this free energy can be released quickly enough to match what is observed in coronal explosive events such as solar flares. Therefore, in the last section of the paper we discuss briefly a possible role of magnetic reconnection in these processes. This is done in quite simple qualitative physical terms, so that an interested reader can follow it up in more detail with help of the provided references.

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